Skill is a function of chance. It's an intuitive best-use of chance situations. - Philip K. Dick

Premise: Paul of Tarsus does not have his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, is not converted to Christianity, continues to persecute it as Saul, never writes his Christian letters but instead leaves a canon of anti-Christian letters. This is what caused an alternate world to branch off.

A szeretet nem csak annyi, hogy birtokolni akarod a másikat, mint egy tárgyat, amit megláttál a boltban. Az csak vágy. Azt akarod, hogy hazavihesd, elhelyezed a lakásban, akár egy lámpát. A szeretet... olyan, mint amikor az apa kimenti a gyerekét az égő házból, és közben maga hal meg. Amikor szeretsz valakit, megszűnsz magadért élni, a másikért élsz.

A novelist carries with him constantly what most women carry in large purses: much that is useless, a few absolutely essential items, and then, for good measure, a great number of things that fall in between. But the novelist does not transport them physically because his trove of possessions is mental. Now and then he adds a new and entirely useless idea; now and then he reluctantly cleans out the trash -- the obviously worthless ideas -- and with a few sentimental tears sheds them. Once in a great while, however, he happens by chance onto a thoroughly stunning idea new to him that he hopes will turn out to be new to everyone else. It is this final category that dignifies his existence. But such truly priceless ideas... perhaps during his entire lifetime he may, at best, acquire only a meager few. But that is enough; he has, through them, justified his existence to himself and to his God.